Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-08-31
NONE BUT Z THE 81 BRAVE.

IS NONE BUT THE BRAVE.
"The man marry must be real hero.
could never endure plain, prosy, hum
drum creature" flushed out Laurel Mayne
gaily, tossing two white envelopes on the
centre table hastily.
Quiet, puzzled Aunt Elaine Talmadge
looked up at the bright and spirited Great
ure before her, laid aside her cluster of
tucked hand-work, wiped her spectacles
and glanced at the conspicuous missives
with an odd smile.
Both episties were proposals of marriage.
One was from wealthy, handsome young
merchant in an adjoining city; the other
from her fathers engineer.
"What presumption" cried Laurel,
wrathfully, pouting her pretty lips. IA
common workman daring to aspire to the
hand of his employers daughter"
"You must admit, Laurel, dear, you
tentions, although, as you say, he is only a
workman in your fathers mill, having an
aged mother dependent on him for sup
port. He will make his mark in the fut-
ure, feel certain"
II encouraged him?" responded Laurel
in open.eyed wonder, her crimson lips
curling scornfully, an angry light deepen
ing in the sparkling brown eyes. when
I CHANGED to meet the man always spoke
courteously, even pleasantly"
"And talked to him by the hour when
ever you went down to the MILL" said
Aunt Elaine gravely.
"That was only to pass away time,
auntie dear. Why girl would die of
en,aui without some one to talk to in this
quiet village"
"You never stopped to remember, Lau-
rel, it was dangerous to the peace of mind
of young, impulsive, warm-hearted fel-
low like Clarke, to be thrown, almost con-
stantly in pretty young girls society for
nearly two years without falling desper-
ately in love with her. If you should ask
my opinion which of the two you should
actually choose, my preference would be
Clarke Hawthorne. For if you married
Arthur Lennox, and his wealth should
take wings, what would become of you?
There was something in his dandified
manner that I always disliked."
Aunt Elaine Talmadge rose as she utter
ed the fatal, prophetic words.
She was a quaint, kind spinster, who
rarely ventured an adverse opinion.
10 wonder her willful niece gazed upon
her in surprise as she jerked out the words
meaningly and sharply, gathered up her
sewing, and hastily left the room, Slam
ming the door after her.
It was no hard matter to decide which
of the two lovers pretty Laurel Mayne
preferred.
Without second glance the workman's
letter found its way into the bed of glow
ing Goals that burned and flickered in the
crate.
Over the other missive-a gushing, close
ly written epistle-Laurel sat dreaming,
as girls will, of the handsome hero who
had lately penned it.
"Arthur will come tomorrow for his
answer" she murmured softly.
One glance into that rosy, dimpled face,
would tell the reader what that answer
was to be.
"And as for Clarke Hawthorne" she
continued, ruefully, 81 shall laugh him
out of the matter, scornfully, as if it were
a Joke. What would Arthur say, with
his fastidious tastes and set ideas of equal
ity, if he ever dreamed this man had
dared"
Laurel! Laurel! Where in the world
are you? I have been looking everywhere
for you."
Laurel had just time to press kiss upon
the envelope and thrust it into her pocket
as her mother hurriedly entered the room.
"Here is a telegram from your father,
DEAR" she said, "saying he cannot return
home from Ashford tonight. Mr.. Hamp-
ton, your fathers partner, expects your
father tonight so you must run down to
the mill with this telegram, Laurel and
make haste, fer he will wait till dusk, l
fear"
There was no one else to send, while
T ho n al xyQt fjQ
on her straw hat, pick up the telegram,
and whisk down the path to the mill.
The great golden sun had set behind the
fieecy clouds that skirted the western hor-
izon, giving promise of a delightful June
evening.
eff Arthur were only here to enjoy this
pretty sunset !".she sighed aloud.
"Arthur is here" cried voice at her
elbow.
And turning, she saw, with travelling
satchel in hand, the hero of these fanciful
air-castles standing before her, smiling.
IL thought you would not be here till
tomorrow" exclaimed Laurel, blushing
rosily.
II could not remain away until to-mor
row." answered the young man, gaily.
"Will you give me an answer to my letter
now, Laurel, darling"
Wollau-llke, tIe youLs Slrl lePlIeu
shyly:
mot now, please. I will think it over
and answer you Tomorrow"
In after years, when she looked back
with shudder upon that evening, she
knew it must have been fate that prompt
ed that answer.
Arthur Lennox smiled satisfactorily to
himself.
He was quite sure that the answer would
not be "No !" And, after all, one day was
not a great length of time to wait.
II am so glad l met Arthur" Laurel
was thinking. "He shall 20 to the mill
with me, and prevent a possible converse
tion with presumptuous Clarke HaW-
thorne."
Just as Laurel had surmised, the first
person she met upon entering the door of
the mill, was Clarke Hawthorne, a hand
some, genial young fellow, good-looking,
even in the work clothes he wore.
L. L L r.